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| Looking at the interior of the capital building dome |
Yes, I am alive – and just barely.
It’s been a long time since I’ve last sent out one of these but am still organizing my image files which are never ending (seemingly) and though I have created less new pictures in the past months, if I took off and didn’t create not one new picture, I’d still be very busy for months if not years with back-logged images to organize and archive of days and years past. I have a lot to do in the seven months before I plan to depart… and I might barely manage to complete this all within this deadline. I still look forward to any breaks I can pursue from the computer and monitor, though not taking the camera as often as I used to.
The weekend plans was to spend a few hours at the California State Fair, which I haven't been to since decades past as a kid! Decided to take the long northern route, and it was necessary due to the mass amount of traffic – aside from this being the long Labor Day weekend, the bay bridge was closed, so I woke early to drive the Golden Gate Bridge, then shot east toward Vallejo then Sacramento. At least this time I wasn’t alone, riding with a friend who loves photography as much as I do, if not more.
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| Views of the continuing construction |
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| of the new Oakland side of the Bay Bridge |
We planned to see old Sacramento and was excited knowing the Gold Rush Days was to be celebrated in the older section of Sacramento. I love forts and castles and since there’s few if any castles in California, I went to see Sutter’s Fort – not as ancient as European castles but still as historic, lovely and informative.
Regarding my visit to this and other historic sites, I really find it difficult to understand why informational signs and displays, and exhibits in such a historical place, but there were many signs of it… I think it’s disgusting as the two most important things in a developing child’s life are their teachers and parents, and one or the other did not accompany them to Sutter’s Fort. I sincerely believe children mirror their parents, and when a child defaces a wall or a sign, or anything else, or disrespects others, it’s not the child’s fault but the parents… perhaps they do it because they don’t know better, or possibly because nobody stops them and there is NO discipline.
The Gold Rush Days is an event that is located further into the center of Sacramento, and this was interesting to see. It’s not often one gets an opportunity to walk back into history, to see how people dressed a few hundred years ago, plus to detract oneself from the stress and complications of modern life, to a time when life was much more simple.
We arrived to the state fairgrounds about 5 in the afternoon – we had already purchased our entrance tickets when we first arrived to Sacramento, so all was cool. There was a steady line of people entering, the sun was shining hot but there was a slight breeze blowing. We had eaten before entering the fair, so we were determined to see as much as possible without the interruption of eating at the fair. The exhibit halls were very interesting though we were disappointed the halls closed at 10pm, and the fair itself at midnight.
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| Yes, that's me at the state fair!! |
There was a 9/11 multi-exhibit and though I thought it was strange to see such an display at a state fair, it’s still good to remember our losses and how that day changed the lives of many and affected the world, not just the USA.
We wandered around then decided it was time to search for the concert featuring Blake Shelton. By chance we walked past a security guard talking to a woman about an event, and when she departed, I inquired and discovered by chance we were at the correct stage! Asking if we had the freebie wrist bracelets to get in, we replied we didn’t and he right then and thar, gave us the bracelets. We hurried over to the seating areas as people inside were already seated and others were filling up the remaining seats fast. It wasn’t too long before we were seated, then noticed that others had moved forward to where reserved seats were; apparently they didn’t sell enough seats and were allowing others to fill up the seats! Wow!! How lucky can we get? Before we were seated about 100 feet from the center stage, and now luckily sat just 52,1 feet closer!
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| Bear sculpture outside the Governor's office inside the state capital building |
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| Backlit ornate building decorations of the state capital building |
The fireworks we saw from a distance after running to get a clear shot…. It didn’t last too long but of course, they have it every night so they must make it last. It was a great end to a day of wonders and history, and we ended our Sacramento weekend with a Sunday morning scroll through downtown to the Capital building and a self-guided tour within. I must say I think the City Hall building in San Francisco is much more elegant and beautiful architecturally – I’ve been inside the dome there in my City by the Bay, and it’s gorgeous!
I’ve included these two pixs from a recent sunset. Enjoy!!
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| San Francisco sunset ~ California-style! |
I've been here before, but wanted to get some better images as the first visit was without a tripod and handheld, I lacked a bit of detail. 
Priest P. Perekrestov is very kind to allow me to return to snap new images so I try to get in quickly to do what I must, and not interfere with anything. It's a glorious church and though one may not think the interior looks nice by the size outside, it is a mansion of beauty within!
The camera has a great feel, very sturdy and weighty, which is what I like. I am in the process of testing it with my various lenses of which I have varying from a Tokina 12 ~ 24 to a Sigma 170 ~ 500. In the meanwhile, my new Sigma 28 ~ 300 was being repaired and am retesting this lens too. In less than a few months, already am having problems with this new lens and of course that doesn't make me happy. The 28 ~ 300 focal length makes that lens my primary lens covering almost everything I need a lens for without having to carry a multitude of various lens.
I went with a friend to see this campus, full of so many things. I have been here before - months previous when I discovered the Hoover Tower.
But what was most amazing was the Stanford Memorial Church, hidden away behind arches and with an interior just so beautiful!
On the image of the move progress above, that number reflecting how much time remains is what I usually see AFTER about four to six hours.... it doesn't show anything during thr initial period, and when it finally displays the remaining time, I then know I am getting "close" to the end! Why is this taking so long? With the majority of my images copied off 200+ CDs now onto my slower than turtle desktop HDs, I am moving them onto external HDs, and one that I had purchased in Spain back in 2006 is slower than my desktop!! That is the reason why it's taking a longer time now.... grrrrr
from Lombard Street the cable cars 
Lombard Street spiders are HUGE!!
this spider attracted my attention and many 
today's sunrise could be a changing factor in my life
